Barbas and the Breton
by Temptacious
Summary: All Anise wants is a quiet life spent making potions, but a certain dog needs her help, and she isn't too keen on upsetting the companion of a daedric prince. The typical tale of an unlikely heroine and the journey she'll undertake to complete her quest. (Work in progress. Being edited)
1. Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly on the streets of Whiterun, warming the cool morning air as sellers headed to their carts and guards changed shifts. Belethor, a rather seedy little Breton, opened his trade shop, and next door Arcadia prepared her home for any looking to buy potions and herbs. The local drunkard weaved unsteady circles around the shop center's well, and the old woman Olava called out to all who passed that she was not in the mood to read fortunes that day. At the Bannerd Mare, a simple inn known for its flirtatious bard and good ale, a young Breton woman, fair of hair and skin, stepped out into the morning. A mage and a potion maker, she had traveled to Whiterun in hopes of finding new spell books to practice with. It hadn't been as successful of a trip as she'd hoped. She'd arrived at Whiterun in the afternoon the previous day, after a journey that had been miraculously uneventful. An abundance of ingredients found on the road and a lack of trouble had made her optimistic, so arriving to find that Belethor had nothing at all in the way of useful spells had been a let down. The only upside was that she had a chance to sell a few pelts, and some trinkets she'd picked up on the journey. She'd ended up spending the day with Carlotta and her daughter, keeping the single mother company while she minded her cart full of vegetables. When night came she'd drank her share of ale, given the flirtatious bard Mikael a stern talking to, and retired to her rented room.

"Good morning Anise! Heading back to Riverwood?" Carlotta called as the young Breton made her way down the front steps of the Bannered Mare.

"Yes, it's time for me to head home. Tell Mila I say goodbye."

"Of course, have a safe journey." Carlotta and Anise both waved goodbye, and Anise made her way down the dusty streets of Whiterun, through the front gate, and off to the road that led to her home in Rivewood.

 _..._

The dust from the road caused Anise to sneeze, which startled a young bird that had been perched on a nearby branch. The startled bird alerted it's fellows, and the entire flock emerged from the trees, chittering and whistling as they flew away. This alerted the two wolves Anise had been trying to quietly walk past, and six ice spells and one hour later, Anise had two pelts and a fresh supply of meat over her back. The extra weight would keep her from collecting any more potion ingredients, but she could give the pelts to Lucian and Camilla in Riverwood once she arrived.

 _With the cold weather returning, it will be nice for the two of them to have some extra furs to work with_. Anise thought. _Or perhaps Camilla will make something for Faendal with this. Wood elves probably don't do very well in the cold skyrim winters._

Riverwood was a town that bustled and babbled just like the river it was named after. The trees dappled everything with shade, and the townsfolk conversed to each other as they passed on errands. Dorthe and Frodnar, the only two children in town, played tag, followed closely by Frodnar's dog Stump. Embry, the local drunk, watched the children with dizzy eyes. While Embry was certainly not the most clear headed man in town, he was a harmless sort with little else to do. It became the town habit to trust that he'd keep an eye on the children, provided that was all he was required to do. Mostly, he drank on the steps on the Sleeping Giant inn and called out if the kids were getting into any trouble.

"Well if it isn't my favorite little witch." Embry slurred cordially as Anise entered town. "Got any more healing potions for me? M'headaches back with a vengeance."

"Sorry Embry, I'll bring some to Lucian's shop tomorrow. Will you be alright until then?"

"Suuuuuure sure. Thas' what the ale is for after all." The last of Embry's words are swallowed by his tankard, and Anise gave him a worried smile before continuing on her way to the Riverwood Trader.

The familiar smell of Camilla's favorite perfumed candles greeted Anise as she steped inside. The Riverwood Trader had a pleasant warmth to it that came from the clutter of the shop and the hearth in the corner that always had something cooking over it. Coupled with the subtle scent of Camilla's candles, the shop never failed to remind Anise of her childhood home back in High Rock.

"You're back!" Camilla exclaimed. She had been sweeping up the shop when Anise walked in, but now she placed her broom against the counter to wrap Anise in a warm hug. Tall, kind and beautiful, Camilla was just as regal and graceful as an Imperial ought to be, despite her patched dress and simple lifestyle. It hadn't surprised Anise in the least when she'd found out that two men were competing for Camilla's affections.

"I told you I'd only be gone for a night." Anise said, smiling, when Camilla let go. Anise turned to Camilla's brother Lucien, who stood behind the counter as usual. "How are things here?"

Camilla and Lucien answer at the same time.

"Same as ever. Glad to see you back"

"But I worry about you when you go. Those roads aren't as safe as you're always saying they are"

Anise laughed and moved to the counter, pulling the wolf pelts from her shoulder to place them on the counter top.

"I have gifts at least." She said as she spread out the two pelts. Lucien, ever a tader, begin to examine them immediately, taking note of the quality of the fur and what it might be used for.

"It isn't much, but I thought you might be able to use these come Frost Fall."

"Of course we can, thank you Anise." Camilla said warmly. "Faendal always gets nervous when the cold comes around. Maybe I'll make him something nice to keep him warm." She said, coming over to run her hands over the softer of the two furs.

"Not the little elf again," Lucian sighed. "He's been alive a bit longer than you I'm sure. I've no doubt he can handle the chill of Frost Fall just fine on his own." Lucian had been grumpy ever since Camilla decided Faendal was the one she preferred of her two suitors. Anise had the distinct feeling that it wasn't Faendal's age or race that Lucian had a problem with, but rather it was the way Camilla and Faendal would spend their free time making eyes at each other by the hearth in the shop. As Lucian himself had once said, "Watching two buffoons in love is bad enough. It becomes even worse when one of those buffoons is your own little sister."

Anise sat down at the small table before the hearth and caught up with Lucian and Camilla for a time. In a small town like Riverwood, there was little excitement or gossip to talk of, and Anise's journey had been too uneventful to make a story out of for her friends. She caught them up on what was happening in Whiterun, with Mikael's incessant flirting and Carlotta's irritation. She informed them that the Companions were just as active as ever, and that the Gray-Manes and Battle-Borns were still as angry at each other as they'd been since the war began. Talk eventually moved to what Anise would do next, as neither Riverwood nor Whiterun were likely to get any spell books that Anise hadn't already studied.

"Do you _really_ need any new spells?" Camilla asked as she put down her broom and joined Anise at the table. "That ice spell has kept you safe enough over the years, and you have that familiar you can conjure as well."

"My familiar spell isn't strong enough. It can handle a wolf or two, and help some against bandits. But remember those thugs? I'd be dead if they hadn't attacked me right in the middle of town. I'd have never been able to handle them on my own." Anise didn't like thinking about how close she'd come to death only a few days ago. A week prior, Anise had come from a two day trip to Whiterun to find that an old witch had taken over her little cottage and claimed it as her own. When Anise had told her the cottage was hers, the witch had flown into a rage and tried to attack her. Anise had handled her easily enough, but a week later a group of thugs had tried to attack her in Riverwood. They'd easily overpowered her, and if not for the guards in town she was certain she'd be dead. The guards had found a contract for her death (or at least grave injury) on one of the thugs bodies. Moira, the old witch's Hagraven sister, had felt her sisters death and hired the thugs to take care of her killer. As if that wasn't enough, the next day an assassin had come for her. She'd been able to handle him well enough, but she'd found a note on his body explaining that someone had preformed the black sacrament to get to her. She couldn't think of anyone other than the Hagraven that would want her dead, and certainly no one that would be willing to preform such a dark ritual. She'd known then that she'd need more than an ice spell and her familiar to keep get safe, especially if the Hagraven decided to finish the job herself.

"If the Hagraven decides to come after me herself, I won't stand a chance with what I know now. Sure I could throw some poisons at her, maybe a potion to cut down her strength or magic, but I'll still be dead before she is. Besides, with all this talk of dragons lately..."

"Oh don't you start with that." Lucian interrupted. "What happened at Helgen was nothing more than a spell gone wrong. Some idiot sorceror likely tried to summon three flame atronachs at once and burned down the whole town. Dragons may have existed once, but they're nothing but legends now. Tragedies like this happen, people make up stories in the excitement. If you've lost your entire home, you might as well have a good tale out of it. Makes them feel better."

"I thought that too," Anise argued, "but I went to Helgen after it burned down. That wasn't just some spell gone wrong Lucian, the town was _gone._ I can't imagine anything in this world that could have done that but a dragon. Creatures coming back from the dead isn't exactly rare in skyrim. Or have you never heard of a draugr?"

Lucian paused a moment and stared down at the counter, as though he was thinking very seriously about something. He looked up suddenly with a sharp nod.

"I see. So we have dragon draugr then do we?" He said sarcastically. "I'll alert the temple priests." He went back to cleaning the trinkets in front of him on the counter, ignoring the glare Anise shot him.

"I'm sorry Anise, but I have to agree with Lucian. The whole town burned down, it isn't surprising that people thought they saw a dragon. It's hard to believe that anything outside of a legend could destroy an entire village, but real life isn't some bards song or children's story. People see things when they're frightened. Didn't you ever see ghosts in your room when you were a small child, only to find it was a trick of the moonlight and your own fear?"

Anise had to admit that Camilla had a point, but some part of her simply couldn't believe it was something as simple as an out of control conjuring. Whatever had happened in Helgen, it didn't change the fact that Anise wouldn't feel safe until she got a few more offensive spells in her repertoire.

"I'd better get home," she said, standing from her chair and stretching a bit. "I've potions to make and a roof to patch up before the rains come. I've got a feeling we'll get some before the warm season is over."

"I meant to bring some food to Faendal anyway. I'll walk you out." Camilla said, grabbing a covered basket while Lucian rolled his eyes at her. He turned a smile to Anise, his stern face easing into the congeniality that Anise was used to.

"I'm glad to see you back. Stay safe on the road home alright?"

"I will." Anise replied, and she and Camilla went out the door and back into the afternoon sunshine.

...

Anise left Camilla by the mill where Faendal had been chopping wood. A polite and hard working wood elf, Anise was quite fond of him and was glad Camilla had chosen him over Sven, her other suitor. Sven was a handsome man, and a good bard, but was arrogant as well and hated to lose. He had no qualms about lying to get his way, and he and Anise did not get along. Camilla and Faendal gave Anise a quick wave goodbye before getting lost in each other, and Anise smiled to herself as she walked up the path to her home on tired feet. She was eager to spend a few days mixing potions and collecting herbs, and she felt some of the tension in her heart ease as she walked through the fields before her house. She still felt unprepared for the troubles that may or may not lie ahead, but at least she still had her quaint home and flowered fields. She smiled as her cottage came into view, It was a dilapidated old thing, with a rickety door and a hole in the roof where a plank had rotted last winter, but it was hers and she loved it. Just outside of Riverwood, it was surrounded by flowers and insects, and the sound of the water running nearby. She had a small garden, and a little chair out front, and a cellar where she could mix potions and practice her admittedly poor enchanting. It was everything a little Breton mage like herself needed, and she was more than happy with it.

 _It's nice to be home._

 _..._

Anise woke before the sun the next morning, eager to be back to her usual routine of potion making. She climbed down the ladder into the cellar, careful to mind her step in the dim light. With only a few candles and the glow of her arcane enchanter, the cellar had a quiet darkness to it that was likely to make others uneasy. For Anise, it was the perfect place to clear her mind and concentrate on her potions. The rest of the morning was spent on her craft; mixing frost resist potions and potions to restore health, staining her fingers with plant matter and trying not to breathe in the fumes of her many poisons. The sun was high in the sky by the time she emerged from the cellar, and she took a break for some bread and cheese.

 _There's no better life than this._

She thought as she rested on the chair in front of her little cottage, watching the birds search for bugs in the ground and the bees flit from one flower to another. After her meal she packed up some potions and made her way down the path to Riverwood, stopping to collect herbs along the way as she went. She entered the Riverwood Trader to find Camilla and Faendal smiling at each other by the hearth, and poor Lucian polishing a sword with far more concentration then the task required. He looked up when Anise entered the shop, smiling his big shop keepers smile.

"Thank the divine, someone with a little sense to talk to."

"Oh hush," Camilla said in response to Lucian's greeting to Anise. "Just because you can't appreciate a little emotion doesn't mean that everyone who does is an idiot."

Faendal stood from his chair as Lucian rolled his eyes. "I'd better get going, before I get any more embarrassed." He laughed. "It's good to see you Anise, let me know if you ever want those archery lessons we were talking about."

"Thanks Faendal, I will." Anise replied.

Faendal made his way out the door, Camilla following him out to say goodbye, and Lucian shook his head at two of them once more to get his point across.

"Oh, don't look at them like that." Anise chided. "It's sweet, the way they act. They love each other."

"If that's love I pray I never find it." Lucian muttered. "Now, what have you got for me today?"

Anise pulled the potions she planned to sell out of her pack, and she and Lucian discussed business for a time. When Camilla re-entered the shop her face was flushed and her eyes were sparkling.

"Faendal asked me to meet him tonight near the mill where the torch bugs all gather. Oh Anise, I think he's going to ask me to wed him!"

The two women laughed together, Anise pulling Camilla into a hug as they shared their joy. Their laughter and fast paced discussion of how she should wear her hair that night was cut off when they realized there was a lack of expected grumbling from Lucian. Turning to face him, they found him polishing weapons again, seemingly unaffected by the news.

"Brother," Camilla started "aren't you at least a little...surprised?"

Lucian snorted, "why would I be? The way that boy's been mooning after you, what else should I expect?"

"Aren't you going to complain at all?" Anise asked.

"What gave you the impression that I'd do something like that?"

"He already asked your permission for my hand didn't he, Lucian?" Camilla said.

"I haven't a clue what your blabbering on about."

"Oh that- that silly little elf!" Camilla fumed, "he knows I am an independent woman! I don't need your permission to get married!"

Anise recalled the first time she'd meet Camilla, and how adamant Camilla had been that she could handle anything. A prized item from their shop had been stolen, and Camilla had insisted that she was strong enough to go and get it back. Anise, having had a bit more experience with bandits than the two siblings, had offered to go instead.

"No, but you have it." Lucian said. "That silly little elf, as you call him, asked me because he knew it was important to me. Even if I'd said no, he was well prepared to ask you anyway. Now stop ruining his proposal and pretend I never said a thing." With that, Lucian opened the door to the shop and moved the 'open' sign to 'closed'.

"I'm heading out for a bit," he said, "so you two feel free to plan whatever it is women plan for proposals." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, wrapped package. "A present for tonight." He said, unwrapping a necklace and putting it over Camilla's head. It was an amulet of Mara, a symbol that Camilla was looking for marriage, a tradition in skyrim.

"Can't expect him to ask you anything without one of those." With that he headed out the door quickly, a tale tell red coloring the tops of his ears as he fled.

Camilla smiled, a little surprised, as the door closed.

"Who'd have thought that that silly brother of mine could be so sweet."

...

Anise left Camilla as the sun began to set. They'd spent the entire afternoon preparing Camilla's hair, mending her best dress so that it looked perfect, and choosing what flower she should use to scent herself for the evening. They'd chosen a blue dress to match her amulet of Mara, and lavender to scent herself with. They hugged as Anise left, and Camilla promised to tell her everything the next day.

Anise made her way towards home, imagining Camilla on her wedding day, wondering what gift she should give the two of them, and what her children with Faendal might look like, should they have any.

 _A wedding is just what we need._ Anise thought, _something bright in these dark times._

Bandits, dragons, and civil wars. Anise knew that these were indeed times of strife.

 _And yet,_ she thought, _I look around me and I see children playing in the streets, people living comfortably in their homes, birds and animals and plants alive in the forest. Whatever darkness has touched upon Skyrim, it feels as though Riverwood has been left behind it._

And it truly did, with the setting sun casting a warm and gentle orange glow over the hillside. The evening bugs had begun to stir, torchbugs lighting up the flowers they rested upon and crickets playing their tune.

Beneath the peace though, Anise felt a tension within her. There was still an angry hagraven out there somewhere, sending thugs and assassins after her. Even if bandits and war and maybe even dragons kept far away from Riverwood, the hagraven wouldn't.

...


	2. Chapter 2

A fresh breeze stirred the grass on the ground and the birds from the trees, carrying the scent of distant rain as Anise emerged from her cellar.

 _The rainy weather will be returning soon,_ she thought. _A good reason not to delay then._

Anise had spent the night mulling over what to do while she tried to sleep, and while mixing potions that morning she had decided. Tomorrow she would leave for Falkreath. The town wasn't too far away, and Anise knew they had a potions mixer and a trade store. Hopefully they would have something new in the way of spells. If they didn't, she had decided she'd march right up to Dragonsreach in Whiterun and ask the Jarl's personal sorcerer if he had any spell books she could use. She was hoping Falkreath would have something so she wouldn't have to work up the courage.

Anise packed her newest potions away, placing the ones she wanted to sell in a different pocket from the ones she kept with her in case of emergencies. Then she took a moment to eat some simple jerky for lunch before heading on her way to the Riverwood Trader. The path was calm as ever, with birds chirping and grass swaying gently in the breeze. Anise took her time to enjoy the scenery, knowing she would miss home when she left, as she always did when she had to travel. She knew she might have to spend the night at the Falkreath inn if the journey took too long; she was not willing to travel after dark, especially not on unfamiliar roads. So she took her time as she walked, stopping often to collect flowers and herbs for her potions.

...

Anise felt the excitement in the air as soon as she entered Riverwood, and she quickened her pace toward the Riverwood Trader, certain she knew why the town was so joyed.

 _A wedding is always a happy occasion after all._

The only person looking grumpy that Anise could see was Helgi, Sven's old and incredibly racist mother. Not only would she be upset that Camilla had chosen Faendal over Sven, but the idea of a Bosmer and an Imperial getting married was sure to leave a sour taste in her mouth. Anise couldn't help but quietly hope she'd choke on it.

The Riverwood Trader was just as homey as ever, but it was distinctly lacking a presence Anise was used to.

"Where's Camilla?" She asked Lucian, who was performing Camilla's usual task of sweeping the floor.

"Where do you think," he said sardonically. "As soon as she woke this morning she was out the door. Apparently spending the rest of her life with the little elf isn't enough, she needs to spend her work hours with him too."

"So he did propose! Not that I was expecting any differently." Anise said as she made her way to the counter. "You should see Helgi, she looks as if Faendal asked _her_ to spend the rest of her life with him."

Lucian snorted, smiling a bit, and came over to stand on the other side of the counter.

"Shall we do business before you head off to see my sister? She told me to send you to her as soon as you got here."

"We might as well," Anise said as she pulled out the potions she wished to sell. "I'm sure Camilla and I will have wedding details to discuss long after you've closed for the day."

Lucian counted out the coins for the Frost Resist potions that were Anise's specialty, and Anise picked out a few soul gems to purchase for her enchanting practise, which had been progressing at a disheartening pace.

"I'm leaving for Falkreath tomorrow." Anise said. "To see if they have any spell tomes there."

Lucian looked up from his coins, pinning her with a serious gaze. "The road to Falkreath isn't nearly as safe as the road to Whiterun. These spells you're after can't keep you safe if you die on the way to find them."

"I know, Lucian, I know. I'll be careful I promise-"

"You'll have to travel through what's left of Helgen." Lucian interrupted.

"I've already been there since the...incident." Anise reminded him, stopping herself from calling it a dragon attack.

"Bandits have moved in. It's dangerous."

"I can handle bandits well enough. I got your golden claw didn't I? Besides," she added at Lucian's look. "I'll go around Helgen. Not through."

"You won't travel after dark?" Lucian asked.

"Of course not. I plan to spend the night at the inn if I get there later than sun high, just to be safe. I'll be fine Lucian, you don't have to worry. "

"Of course I'll worry. Between you and my sister I haven't got time to do anything _but_ worry."

Anise laughed and stepped behind the counter to give Lucian a hug. Lucian, for his part, stood very still and grumbled under his breath about foolish women and why did they always have to be out _doing_ things, and couldn't they ever just be happy to stay home?

After saying her goodbyes to Lucian, Anise made her way to the mill by the river. She saw Faendal chopping wood in the usual place, looking just as peaceful and content as ever. Camilla was sitting on a stump off to the side, making a flower crown and smiling to herself. She jumped up as Anise neared, and the two women hugged happily. Waving to Faendal, Anise moved to sit on the large tree stump and Camilla sat beside her.

"So," Anise started, "tell me everything!"

"Oh, where to start!" Camilla said, smiling and putting her hands to her cheeks. "It was so beautiful when I got here, there were torch bugs everywhere and Faendal had cleared some of the wood away so there was a nice space by the pine tree. He looked so happy when he saw my amulet of Mara, but he looked so nervous too. It was very sweet! When I came close enough he took my hands and said that while he often missed Valenwood, there was a beauty in skyrim that all of Valenwood could not match. He said that a woman of my intelligence and heart could choose any man she wanted, but he hoped that I might choose him." Camilla broke off to give a happy laugh, and Anise joined her until the two received a smile from Faendal in the distance. Camilla waved at him and returned to her tale. "So I told him, 'well, you'll have to wait.'"

It took anise a moment of pause to register what Camilla had said.

"What?"

Camilla laughed again. "That's just what Faendal's face looked like when I said that. I told him 'you'll have to wait. Because my dream wedding has always taken place in Evening's Star. With you.' He was so relieved he kissed me right there!" Camilla laughed again, the joy clear as the shining sun on her face.

"I'm so happy for you." Anise said. "For the both of you. A wedding during Evening's Star huh? Why then?"

Camilla picked up her unfinished flower crown and began working on it again, and Anise picked a few flowers to start one of her own.

"I've always liked the idea of a wedding at the end of the year, so that the couple can start the new year together. That and..."

Anise looked up at Camilla's pause and found her friend starting steadfastly at the flowers in her lap, a red flush making its way up her face.

"And I always thought...I thought it would be a rather cozy time to have ones wedding night." Camilla rushed the last words out quickly, raising her head and trying very hard not to look embarrassed.

Anise laughed softly, "Ah, I see your _true_ motivations now. Perhaps I should gift you an amulet of Diabella for your wedding, or maybe some stamina potions for Faendal."

Camilla's blush grew redder, and with an aggravated grumble in the back of her throat she shoved Anise hard enough that she almost fell from the stump they were sitting on. The two women laughed a bit, but Anise noticed the undertone of worry in her friend's manner.

"Camilla, what's wrong? Are Imperials so conservative that you feel guilty about looking forward to your wedding night?"

Anise's home in High Rock shared no border with the Imperial land of Cyrodiil, and as she had come from a poor family, Anise had never studied lives or cultures outside of her own. She had become used to Skyrim's ways after a year of living there, but had no knowledge of how things might be conducted in Camilla's homeland.

Camilla shook her head, "No, it isn't that. It's...well, it's the race issue."

Camilla looked ashamed, but Anise understood right away. Bosmer and Imperial customs would be fairly different, especially concerning marriage. Anise wasn't certain they even _had_ marriage in Valenwood, at least not in the same vein as Imperials.

"It's alright," Anise said, putting her hand on Camilla's shoulder. "It _would_ be a bit nerve wrecking, marrying someone whose customs are so different from yours."

Camilla smiled gratefully.

"It isn't that he's Bosmer," she agreed, "It's that his culture and mine are so different, we'll probably have misunderstandings, and have to compromise constantly. I worry that we'll always have to work around those things."

"Well, all marriage is compromise." Anise said, continuing to work on the flower crown in her hands. "And when you decide to tie your life to someone else's, there's bound to be a few misunderstandings. I think that once you get used to each other's way of doing things, it'll be easier than you thought. And I think that's common with all partnerships."

Camilla smiled, though she still looked nervous.

"I suppose that's true," she said. "And we've done well enough so far. I suppose I feel guilty as well, as we seem to be following my own customs so far. The amulet of Mara, and his proposal to me. Even his pledging the rest of his life, these are things they don't do in Valenwood, at least to my knowledge. I want us to be equals, and that means I must be the one compromising as well."

Anise nodded, thinking for a moment.

"Well, what if you had your wedding in the woods here?" Anise asked. "I know Imperial custom is to have a large ceremony at a temple of Mara, but what if you brought the priest out here?"

Camilla sat on that for a moment, looking at the woods around them thoughtfully. Then she smiled widely, looking just as happy as she had before.

"That's perfect! A wedding blessed by Mara for me, but out in the woods that he loves so much! I'll go to Riften and drag that priest here if I have to." Camilla said, looking suddenly quite determined. "Perhaps there are other Bosmer traditions we can work into our wedding as well. After all, all I need is a ceremony and a priest of Mara. There might be a Valenwood style dress I could make, or some form of binding words they use for occasions like this. Faendal and I will have to discuss it, but I very much like this idea. Thank you Anise, I feel much better."

She looked much better as well, practically glowing with determination and joy.

 _She and Faendal have nothing to worry about._ Anise thought. _Even if they encounter troubles because of their differing cultures, they'll work it out just fine._

"Oh," Anise started. "Before I forget, with all this wedding business. I'm going to Falkreath tomorrow."

...

Anise was exhausted by the time she returned to her little cabin. Camilla had given her a far longer and far sterner talk than Lucian had, and once she had run that course the two of them had gone back to wedding talk. Weddings were a far bigger deal in Cyrodiil than they were in Skyrim, and Camilla had enjoyed having someone to talk with about hers.

Anise washed her hands and face with water from a small bowl she kept on her dresser and changed into a simpler pair of enchanted robes that she used for sleep. She hung her Apprentice Mage robes from a length of rope she had stretched from wall to wall, and put her shoes on the ground beneath them. Then she fell into bed, falling slowly into sleep while crickets serenaded her.


	3. Chapter 3

The road to Falkreath had been fairly uneventful for the first two hours. Anise had woken early and packed up some food and potions to take with her, and had set off while the townsfolk were still opening their shops for the day. Anise had spent her travel time picking herbs for her potions and keeping an eye out for any trouble on the road. There hadn't been anything of interest for the beginning half of her journey, but now she could see the charred remains of Helgen before her, and smell the burnt flesh of the impaled corpses that decorated Helgen's entrance. Anise couldn't see anyone atop the wall that surrounded Helgen, which worked perfectly well for her. She could handle a few bandits, especially if they didn't see her coming, but to barge right into a bandit stronghold was her idea of suicide. Covering her nose with the sleeve of her robes, Anise crouched low and moved slowly towards Helgen, doing her best to watch both the wall and the woods to the side for bandits. She moved slowly, leaving the stone section that had survived and moving on to the pointed wooden posts that the bandits had erected around the area. She could hear the low murmur of activity inside the walls and vaguely make out the sound of their rough voices. Feeling a little more certain of herself, she moved forward a bit faster, breaking away from the wall and following the path that would take her to Falkreath.

 _That was easy enough._

"Hey! You there!"

Anise froze for a moment, watching the bandit by the wall out of the corner of her eye. He was a burly looking Nord, with studded armor and a large iron greatsword in his hands.

He smirked at her.

"Well ain't this a surprise."

...

By the time Anise had lost both the bandit and her breath, she was deep in the fog and looming pine trees Falkreath was known for. Doubled over and breathing hard, she pulled down her hood and tried to get a good look at her surroundings. The road seemed to straighten out a bit in front of her, and just behind her was a simple little house with some small carts out front. It looked as if whoever lived here had suddenly stopped their household tasks, and Anise hoped it didn't have anything to do with the bandits from Helgen.

 _They probably just got called into the house for something simple. Like a child's scraped knee._

A little sign that said _Pinewatch_ hung on the wall by the front door of the cottage.

Anise straightened and took out her map, the heavy fog quickly dampening her clothes. Judging by how far she'd run with the help of some hastily gulped down stamina potions, she guessed herself to be a little over an hour away from Falkreath. After a brief stretch she continued to walk on, collecting mountain flowers as she went and enjoying the change in scenery. Riverwood didn't have such tall pine trees, and while they seemed to loom overhead Anise found something calming about the way their tips swayed in the skyrim wind, looking almost like they might gently tip over.

The road ahead wasn't as wet as Anise had feared, and she was grateful the rains hadn't yet arrived. She could smell the water in the air and see it heavy in the clouds above, and knew it would be raining before she was home. She pulled her hood tighter around her face, feeling grateful for the fur that lined it and kept her cheeks warm. Through the low light and the fog she could just make out a hint of purple in the distance, and she guessed they were the banners of Falkreath. It was hard to tell the hour, given the darkness that covered the hold, but Anise judged it to be just after noon by the hunger in her stomach and the faint bit of light she could see shining through the clouds. The Falkreath gates came into view before long, and Anise could see the guards on the ramparts and the Falkreath banners that matched them.

As Anise drew closer one of the guards left his post to walk towards her. With his large frame and his guard's helmet obscuring his face, Anise couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated as he came closer through the mist.

A heavy Nordic accent came from within the helmet.

"Hey, did you see a dog out there?"

A little thrown off, it took Anise a moment to reply.

"A dog? No, I didn't see one. Did someone lose theirs?"

"Lod, the blacksmith, said he saw one out there on the road. Wants it for himself. Go talk to him if you see it."

With that the guard turned and walked back to his post, leaving Anise to wonder if she ought to help somehow or leave it alone. She moved forward through the city gates and headed towards the trade store, passing the local inn and tavern first. The sign outside dubbed it as the Dead Man's Drink, a fitting name in a town like Falkreath. Across the way from it was the blacksmith's shop, and Anise could see a large man outside working at the anvil.

 _That must be Lod._ Anise thought. Sighing a little to herself, she decided that after she took care of her own business she would visit Lod, and see how difficult it might be to catch his dog.

 _It's late enough in the day that I don't want to risk traveling home and having the sun set before I'm there, but it's early enough that having some time to kill in this town would be nice. I might as well see if I can't catch a dog._

With that decided she continued through town, looking for the signs of either the trade store or the potions maker. The inside of Falkreath was much like the outside of it, covered in fog with the winding streets moving around large pine trees. The buildings seemed to blend in with the flora around them, and hide in the mist that blanketed them. Many of the people looked sad, Anise noticed, and walked with a slow step.

 _Did something happen recently? Or is it simply the way of the people here to be a bit dreary?_

The trade store was nestled in beside Lod's smithy. It had a little sign out front that said the shop was called Gray Pine Goods, and as Anise walked up the steps to pull open the door, she bumped into a man that had been coming out.

"Oh-" Anise exclaimed as she stumbled backwards, "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there!" Anise apologized as she smiled up at the tall Nordic man she had bumped into. His expression was not nearly as apologetic.

" _Hmph."_ He sneered, glaring angrily down at her. "I can't _believe_ we let provincials like you wander skyrim."

He shoved past her again, leaving Anise standing shocked in the doorway as he disappeared around the corner. After a moment she remembered that she was standing in the doorway, and she went inside the shop feeling more than a little embarrassed.

Once inside she noticed another Nord man standing behind the counter of the shop. He looked very much like the one she had just bumped into, with the same nose and somewhat narrow eyes. He laughed a little when he saw her expression.

"Well met." He greeted her. "Unlike my brother, I've no dislike of strangers. Met lots of 'em when I was a Stormcloak."

"That was your brother?"

"Don't mind Bolund." He laughed, "he's young, and gets riled easily. My name is Solaf, is there anything I can help you with?"

Still feeling a little thrown, Anise moved forward to the counter to get a better look at the shelves behind Solaf.

"I was wondering what spell tomes you have in stock?"

Solaf turned to the shelves behind him, looking through some books for a moment before pulling out three. He turned back to the counter and placed the books down in a row so that their covers could easily be seen. Anise felt the optimism in her chest turn sour as she looked at the tomes before her. A simple oakflesh spell, conjure familiar spell, and a spell for raising weak dead bodies. She already knew the conjure familiar spell and the raise zombie spell, though she never used the latter. As for the oakflesh spell, it would hardly do her any real good. It wouldn't keep anyone from chirping her head off.

"It isn't much, I'm afraid. " Solaf said apologetically as he noticed her disappointment. "We don't get many magic users around here. Bolund tends to chase them all off."

"That's alright." Anise sighed. "Do you think the potions maker might have any lying around?"

"Hmm. You could try, but I wouldn't keep your hopes up." Solaf replied. "Zaria's more interested in mixing potions than practicing any kind of magic."

...

Half an hour later Anise sat, feeling slightly sullen, on a bench in The Dead Man's Drink partaking in her share of ale and munching on some of the food she'd brought with her. Solaf had been right when he'd said Zaria cared only for her alchemy. She and Anise had found plenty to talk about, and even exchanged a few tips and ideas, but Anise was no closer to having any new spells.

 _So much for that._

Anise nursed her tankard a little longer, grateful for the chance to rest her aching feet at least. Once her food and ale was finished she stood and made her way back outside. She had promised herself she'd help catch a dog after all, and she still had time to kill before renting a room for the evening. She left the dim Inn and stepped into the almost equally dim lighting of the Falkreath sky. Lod was still working away outside, doing whatever it was blacksmiths did. Anise wasn't completely sure.

"Um, excuse me?" Anise said over the repeated noise of the hammer Lod was using. He stopped and turned to look at her as she stood, a little shyly, on the stairs leading up to the smithy.

"I heard you were looking for a dog?"

"Ah, yes." He said, pouring his hammer aside and turning fully to face her fully. "There's one I saw hanging around the road out there, a loyal looking fellow. I could use a good, loyal hound as my companion, but I'm too busy now to go chasing after it. There's gold in it for you if you manage to catch it."

"I'll give it my best." Anise said. "I've nothing else to do at the moment."

Lod stood and went over to a plate of food he had sitting off to the side and took Adobe meat.

"You can use this to lure him in." Lod said as he handed her the meat. "Best of luck."

With the chunk of meat in her hand, Anise made her way back out the gate, wondering whether she was more likely to attract the dog or the wolves with it. She didn't get far at all however, before seeing a tall, healthy looking wolfhound in the distance.

 _Well, that was simple enough._

Anise was about to crouch down and offer the piece of meat when the dog began to move towards her at brisk pace. It wasn't charging at her, and it didn't look aggressive, but Anise couldn't help but feel that there was something distinctly unnerving about an unfamiliar dog moving towards her with such purpose. It sat down once it reached her, looking happy with it's large tongue lolling out of the side of its mouth.

" _You,_ are exactly what I was looking for." The dog barked.

...


	4. Chapter 4

The road outside of Falkreath was almost completely deserted. The afternoon light was dim and hazy, fighting to filter through the tall pine trees and thick fog, and the animals of the forest were quiet. The young mage Anise was all alone. Except for the taking dog of course.

 _"_ You _are exactly what I was looking for."_

That was what he'd said. Or barked. Anise wasn't sure, though he _had_ barked a far more traditional kind of bark just after, so maybe he had been talking. Without moving his mouth.

"Did...Did you just talk?"

"Skyrim is now home to giant, flying lizards and two-legged cat men, and you are surprised by me? Yes I just talked, and am continuing to do so." The dog punctuated his reply with another bark.

Anise had never seen a dog look sarcastic, and certainly wouldn't have thought they were capable of such an expression, but the dog before her gave her the very distinct impression that he was being sarcastic. His tongue was still lolling about, but something about his eyes and the tilt of his head seemed to say that she'd asked a stupid question.

"Let me start again." He said. "My name is Barbas, and I have a problem I think you can help with."

"Alright" Anise said slowly. "What sort of problem is it?"

"My master and I had a bit of a falling out. We got into an argument and it became a bit...heated. My master has kicked me out until I can find someone to settle our differences."

Anise understood, though she wasn't sure she liked where things were going. Sure, solving a disagreement sounded easy enough, but she couldn't think of any spells that allowed an animal to talk, which ruled out Barbas being a simple, enchanted dog. It seemed a lot more likely that something supernatural was going on, and that Anise was going to be in over her head.

"And that's where I come in?"

"Exactly." Barbas replied, barking again.

"Look, " Anise said. "I'm really not sure I'm the right person for this. I'd love to help, but I've got my own things to do, and this feels a little out of my league. You'd really be better off with someone else."

He didn't look particularly convinced.

"And I've really got my own things to do."

He continued to stare her down.

"So I really don't have the time."

Barbas huffed and thumped his tail on the ground. Then he stood and moved past her, facing the direction of Helgen. He took a few steps before looking over her shoulder at her.

"My master is _Clavicus Vile_ , the Daedric Prince of wishes. As you can imagine, he's quite the important person."

 _Clavicus Vile,_ _Daedric Prince of wishes._

 _Clavicus Vile, Daedric Prince._

 _Daedric Prince._

Anise knew when she didn't have a choice, and this was looking to be one of those times. Her only options were to abandon the dog and hope he never reunited with his master, or go with him and do her best to help. If she left him here there was a good chance that he'd find someone else to help him, reunite with his master, and then tell the Daedric Prince about the little mage that had refused to help. Clavicus Vile may be the Prince of wishes, but he was also known as a trickster. Anise had no doubt Barbas' master would get her back for her unwillingness to help, and it wouldn't be pleasant. If she did her best to aid Barbas then, when the two made up, they would likely forget all about her and she could go on with her life as a simple mage.

"Alright." She sighed. "Where is your master?"

Barbas looked about as smug as a wolfhound could.

"Not far at all." He said. "Just follow me."

With that he began to move forward, trotting along at a brisk doggy pace. Anise rushed forward to catch up, wondering if an immortal being not of this plane would really have the same idea of 'not far at all' as she did.

...

Anise had been right to wonder. It turned out that Barbas' idea of 'not far at all' was about one hour and three bandits longer than her own. When the burned gates of Helgen came into view and Barbas trotted towards them with the same purposeful walk he'd had for the past two hours, Anise spoke up.

"Barbas we can't just stroll through Helgen. The place is full of bandits now, it's too dangerous. Where are we even going?

"My master is a bit weaker when I'm not around." He explained, sitting down in front of Anise. "He won't be able to go far from his shrines, and I know he has one nearby. There's a cult that worships him at Haemar's Shame. We'll be able to communicate with him there."

 _Haemar's Shame?_ Anise thought. _I'm not even sure where that is._

Anise sighed.

"Well," she said as Barbas stood and began to move forward again. "Let's at least go around Helgen, rather than through it."

Barbas looked back at her without breaking his pace.

"You worry too much."

Barbas reached the gates of Helgen and barked at them once. With no explanation that Anise could see, the gates swung open, revealing the charred and ruined remains of the town within. Barbas continued onwards, clearly unfazed by the destruction before him. Or the scattered group of bewildered bandits.

Their confusion didn't last long.

The bandits charged forward, swords drawn and faces twisted in savage joy. Anise conjured her familiar quickly and summoned an ice spell into each hand. The wolf familiar didn't last long, getting in about two bites before being defeated by a hulking Nord. Barbas had a Redguard women in his teeth, and soon took her down, jumping over her corpse to attack an Orc that had been about to lop Anise's head clean off. Anise back peddled furiously, trying to dash to the side so that she might reach the other end of Helgen and the gates that Barbas had been heading toward. Ice flew continuously from her hands and she kept them stretched out before her, hoping to keep the bandits at enough of a distance to ensure safety. One Nordic woman, used to the cold skyrim weather, managed to ignore the ice and push her way forward. She swung her sword towards Anise's side and managed to catch skin. Anise stumbled backwards, nearly tripping and dropped her ice spells. She ducked quickly as another swipe of the sword passed over her head, then pushed off and ran full tilt, leaving Barbas to handle the rest of the bandits or follow her. She heard the Nordic woman give chase, and heard the dying gasp of another bandit. Anise wasn't sure how many were left, but she felt certain that the dog of a Daedric Prince could likely handle it. She ran up the steps of a burned building that had been cleared out, likely to serve as the bandits main sleeping area. Anise ran through the main area quickly, feeling the Nordic woman's steps thumping closely behind her. Seeing a break in the building's wall, Anise lunged for it, ignoring the twinge from the cut in her side. She fell roughly on the ground outside, failing to land on her feet or even roll. The bandit jumped through far more gracefully, and landed on her feet in front of Anise. With no other moved to make, Anise ran forward without thinking. The bandit was just barely off balance from landing, and was thrown to the ground as Anise barreled into her. She lost her footing again and landed on her knees, crashing them into the bandit's face. The woman let out a rage filled cry, and Anise jumped up again, shoving her feet into the bandits face and using it to push off. The woman rolled over quickly to give chase, and the world seemed to move slower as Anise realized she would not be escaping. The bandit was on her knees by the time Anise had managed her first real step, and she knew her stamina would run out far before the other woman's. She was already running out of energy, and she had wasted all her stamina potions the last time she'd come this way. Anise lifted her other foot, took her next step. The bandit was lifting up off her knees, her hands leaving the dirt and her feet beneath her, her sword forgotten on the ground. She'd happily beat Anise with her fists once she was standing.

And then, suddenly, the world sped up again as the shadow of a wolfhound fell over the bandit's head.

Barbas rammed into the woman's back, pushing her down again and landing atop her with a ferocious growl. His teeth wasted no time in finding her neck, and then she was gone. Helgen went quiet. Anise, still caught in the position of a woman about to run, relaxed a bit and turned toward Barbas, bewildered by his look of contentment. It was as of nothing at all had happened.

"That was perhaps _the_ most inelegant escape I have ever seen." Barbas barked.

...

The pair, one exhausted and one rather nonplussed, made their way out of the gates of Helgen. Anise insisted on stopping a moment to check her injury, and Barbas wandered off looking for something to entertain him while she tended herself. The cut in her side wasn't bad enough to warrant a healing potion, so Anise simply cleaned it off and wrapped some linens around it. The sun was getting a bit lower in the sky now, and while it wasn't too late in the day just yet, she felt nervous that this trip would end with her stuck after dark in the middle of the wilderness.

"Barbas!" She called as she finished wrapping her injury and rearranging her robes.

"Are we nearly there?" She asked as Barbas came trotting out of the woods.

Barbas barked and ran off down the path, and Anise was left to follow, feeling distinctly like her question had been ignored.

The rest of the trip was rather uneventful, with Barbas killing a couple wolves and chasing a few deer as they walked. The air began to get colder and the sun began to sink lower as they climbed a slight hill, following a twisting path through the beginnings of snow. Just as Anise had been about to snap, Barbas stopped and sat down triumphantly in front of the entrance to a cave.

"I told you it wouldn't take long" he said. "Haemar's Shame. My master's shrine lies just ahead."

Just as Anise was beginning to feel optimistic about the end of their journey, Barbas added,

"All we have to do now is go through the cult."

...

This particular cult of Clavicus Vile proved to consist entirely of vampires, none of which were particularly pleased to see a dog and a Breton inside their home. There weren't many of them, but each and every one saw fit to attack. Barbas took them all down easily enough, while Anise pelted them with fairly ineffective ice spells. Finally they managed to get to the passage that led to Clavicus Vile's shrine. Before they went in, Barbas stepped in front of Anise and looked up at her seriously.

"If this works out, I'll make sure you're rewarded." He said "Just don't trust any offer he tries to make you...okay?"

Anise was surprised by Barbas's worry. Was he afraid for her, or for himself? Either way, she trusted him more than she trusted his master, so she had no problem agreeing.

"I'll follow your lead." She said.

"When you get in there, just say you have a request for him. Then ask him to take me back. Simple"

Anise feared it wouldn't be quite as easy as all that, but she nodded, and together they went down the passage.

The shrine was a large cavernous area, with stone steps leading down into it, and a large statue of Vile himself in the center. Anise made her way down the steps and stood before the statue, taking in the fresh meat that had been left before it as an offering. There were also a few coins and a basket of fresh apples, shining in the flickering light of the candles placed on either side of the statue. Anise stared up at the statue and cleared her throat, uncertain of how to begin.

"My Lord, Clavicus Vile. I have a request I would ask of you."

"By all means, let's hear it," A man's voice echoed all around her, with no clear source. It had an accent similar to Barbas', but more refined. Though the tone seemed genial enough, there was something about it that made Anise nervous.

 _A sinister undertone, maybe? A hint of something twisted? I'm not sure._

Clavicus Vile continued to speak.

"It's the least I could do, since you already helped me grant one final wish for my last worshippers. They were suffering _so_ from vampirism, and they begged me for a cure. Then you came along and ended their misery! I couldn't have planned it better myself."

Anise could hear the twisted smile in those words, and knew she would not trust this Daedric Prince. He would grant your wishes, surely enough, but it was almost never in the way you had wanted. Anise resolved to not be tricked by him, and to follow Barbas's lead in this. He may be the Daedric Prince's companion, but she felt that Barbas had little motivation or desire for trickery.

 _Oh, what have I gotten myself into?_

" _So_ ," Clavicus went on, "What is your hearts desire? What kind of deal can we make?"

Anise heard the anticipation in those words, and the greed. He was looking forward to seeing what mischief he could make next. Anise hoped she wouldn't be giving him the satisfaction.

"I request that you take Barbas back. Into your service. My Lord." Anise stuttered, uncertain of the proper way to address a Daedra.

"That insufferable pup? Forget it. No deal. I'm glad to be rid of him."

Anise felt her heart sink. Had all this been for nothing? What would Barbas do now? Would he follow her about, barking at her and giving her sarcastic replies until she grew old and died? Worse yet, would he wander alone for centuries, until his master finally took him back? Just as Anise was about to ask again, Clavicus spoke.

"Even if it does mean that I'm stuck in this pitiful shrine. At the back end of...well, nowhere." The voice paused a moment, as though he was thinking carefully.

"I suppose there is a way he could earn his pace back at my side. Maybe. No promises."

Barbas stood, looking pleased, and Anise felt her optimism returning.

"There is an axe," Vile continued. "An incredibly _powerful_ axe. Powerful enough that I could have quite a bit of fun indeed. If you bring it to me I'll grant you my boon. No strings attached, no messy surprises. At least not for _you._ "

Barbas looked quite pleased at this task. Anise was a bit more concerned. This didn't exactly sound like something she wanted in the hands of a Daedric Prince. Then again, he could probably get it anyway once he had Barbas with him, as he'd be at full power again. Before anise could wonder if getting Barbas and Clavicus Vile back together was really such a good idea, the Daedric Prince spoke again.

"The axe is resting in Rimerock Burrow. Barbas can lead you right to it. Little mutt might even earn his pace back at my side" he muttered.

Barbas barked at Anise and stood, walking towards the back of the cavern towards the exit there. Anise guessed that her audience with the Daedric Prince was over, and she followed Barbas to the back of the cavern, pulling the lever there to open the bars blocking the exit. Fresh air kissed her cheeks as she stepped outside, and Anise was pleased to see that the sun was still in the sky. It was low indeed, but she might have just enough time to make it to Riverwood before it was too dark. She turned to Barbas.

"We'll have to stop by my home in Riverwood for the night. I won't travel through the dark. How far is it to the axe? Can you show me on my map?" She pulled her map from her satchel and spread it out on the stones beneath her. Barbas looked it over before placing his paw on the map, on a spot just outside of the imperial city of Solitude.

All the way on the other side of Skyrim.


	5. Chapter 5

"So." Barbas said, looking around Anise's small cabin from the doorway. "This is your...house. It is _very_ nice."

Anise gave him a tired glare, shoving past him to put her satchel down on the dresser by the bed. They'd made it back to her cabin just as night was falling, and the long day coupled with the thought of traveling all the way to Solitude was too much for one little Breton to handle. Anise fell into bed with no thought of the grime on her face or clothes, and soon she was asleep, leaving Barbas to himself. The dog, not particularly pleased with being ignored, jumped up onto the bed and curled up beside her, making sure to get his dirty paws on as much of the bed as he could before settling in.

Neither moved until morning.

...

Anise spent the entire morning preparing for the journey ahead. She washed her body and clothes thoroughly in the nearby river, hanging the wet robes to dry in the sun once she was through. While those dried she mixed potions, particularly once for healing. She packed all the food and potions she could easily carry, as well as some extra to sell in Riverwood before they left. Barbas followed behind her the entire time, barking occasionally to hurry her up. Finally Anise donned her cleaned mage robes and the two headed to the Riverwood Trader.

"Anise, you're back!" Camilla exclaimed, moving to greet her friend that stood in the doorway. She paused upon noticing the wolfhound that had followed Anise inside. "You got a dog? That's certainly better than any spell for protection if you ask me."

"I agree," Lucian chimed in from the back of the shop. "Provided he's a loyal hound."

Anise glanced down at Barbas before giving her friends a chagrined look.

"Actually..."

...

Anise was surprised when, instead of berating her, Camilla offered to help Anise come up with the best possible plan for her journey. Though Camilla and Lucian both expressed great concern for the news Anise had gotten herself caught up in, both siblings seemed to agree that it would not be wise to say too much with the Daedric Prince's companion present. Instead the two siblings speed compliments upon the dog, offering him choice meats to eat while he waited for them to come up with a plan. It was decided that the safest route would be to head first to Whiterun, and then to Rorikstead from there. Anise would spend the night there and head to Solitude the next day. It would have been faster to cut through Morthal, but that town lay deep in the marshes, and Lucian had heard from some other merchants that vampires were known to live in the mists there. Once the planning was done, Anise sold Lucian a few potions and said her goodbyes. Hugs were given, as well as promises to return soon. Anise and Barbas made their way to the edge of Riverwood, on the path that would lead them to Whiterun. Anise turned back for one last look at the town she called home, feeling that this moment was far too familiar.

 _It's like when I left High Rock._ She thought. Except _this time, I have something to come back to._

Anise turned back around and hurried to catch up with Barbas, who had not waited for her. Behind her, the town of Riverwood continued it's quiet flow. Dorthe and Frodnar played tag, while Embry the drunk watched them from the steps of the inn. Sven's old mother sat on the bench before her home, glaring down the path at Faendal as he carried wood from the mill. The trees cast their shade as the sun rose slowly over the town, and in the background the river could be heard quietly babbling. Anise and Barbas followed the path that would lead them for the beginning of their journey, until the town could see them no more.

...

 **I am so so so sorry! I'm sorry this chapter is so short, and I'm sorry I didn't get something up sooner. I started this project because I had a lot of free time and didn't see that changing any time soon. Of course, now I have a whole bunch of things going on, and work has been crazier than ever before. I'm only posting this chapter because I want to put something up, but I feel guilty that it isn't more. Things should be picking up soon in this story though, and we're getting close to the parts that I already have roughly written down, so it will be easier to update. With the free time that I have I'm going to try and edit some of the chapters I've already posted, as I think the first chapter is especially horrible. Again, I'm very very sorry. Next month should be less busy, so hopefully I'll have more time to write. Thank you so much for reading, and feel free to review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Anise stood just inside the towering front doors of Dragonsreach, trying to remember why she'd thought coming here was a good idea. Dragonsreach was home to the Jarl of Whiterun and his family, and it was a large and wealthy looking place, at least to Anise's eyes. It also housed Farengar Secret-Fire, the court wizard and the only person Anise could think of that might have the spells she needed. Anise had decided that traveling all the way to Solitude was too long of a journey to undertake with only the spells she had now and Barbas at her side, no matter how invulnerable the hound night be. Barbas stood beside her now, looking fairly unimpressed with the grandeur of the wide hall they stood in. Anise took a deep breath and walked forward, trying to ignore the looks the staff were giving her, which clearly said they didn't think she had any reason the be there. Farengar was known for being fairly welcoming to young mages looking to learn, so Anise hoped he'd allow her to study a spell tome or two. Anise walked up the hall's wide steps, which led to the largest dining table Anise had ever seen, laden with food and drink for the Jarl and his colleagues to enjoy. Just beyond that was a raised dias, upon which sat a comfortable and sturdy looking throne, which held Balgruf, Jarl of Whiterun. He lounged comfortably on his throne, exchanging banter with the Dunmer woman at his side. To the right, tucked away in the side of the room, Anise saw an open doorway through which Farengar could be seen standing over a large book on his desk. The Jarl and his housecarl both looked up as Anise approached, but they took in her mage robes and her anxious glances towards Farengar's study and seemed to deduce her reasons for being there. They ignored her as she shuffled awkwardly to the side and made her way to the open door. Farengar looked up as she entered, took one look at her and said,

"Let me guess, you wish to learn something from me?"

...

Farengar was indeed an enthusiastic teacher, and far more welcoming than Anise had anticipated. He kept her there for hours, going over spells and enchantments, discussing magical theories. He taught her to conjure a sword into her hand for protection, summon a flame atronach to fight by her side, and even showed her how to spot spikes of ice from her hands instead of simply creating freezing cold. All in all, Anise felt it was time well spent, no matter how Barbas huffed at the delay.

...

Rorikstead was a sleepy place, with it's large fields looking peaceful and plentiful, and it's small houses serving as a reminder that Rorikstead's flourishing fields were a relatively new addition to the once poor town. Two young girls ran past Anise, one yelling sisterly insults at the other as they ran down the road. Cows grazed quietly in the fields, and a few guards walked the streets with an unhurried pace. The few people that were out seemed to take note of Anise, likely hoping she wasn't some bandit or rouge come to take advantage of such a small town. There didn't seem to be any kind of shop in town, and the only building that wasn't a home seemed to be the inn. Frostfruit Inn looked just the same as any other inn, both on the inside and outside. It had a warm and cozy feel to it, and was quieter than most due to a lack of patrons. Anise purchased a room for ten septims, and while the inn keeper looked askance at Barbas, he said nothing about her bringing the dog inside. Anise day at one of the long talked to the side of the inn, pulling out some of the food she had rought with her, giving Barbas his fair share when he begged. As Anise ate farmers began to shuffle into the inn, looking tired but satisfied at the end of a long work day. They all gathered in seats by the cook fire and sipped on mead brought to them by the inn keeper, chatting happily amongst themselves. Anise found their peaceful mood to be contagious, and soon she was absentmindedly stroking Barbas's furry head and scratching him behind the ears, much to the hounds delight. Anise retired to bed early that night, washing her face with cool water and curling up onto the furs on the bed. Barbas climbed up beside her, curling into her side to sleep, and Anise remembered what it felt like to sleep with someone by your side.

 _It's been a long time since I had anyone to share a home with._ Anise thought. This _reminds me of climbing into my parent's bed as child. It was always so warm and safe._

Though bittersweet, the memories lulled her to sleep as she cuddled with Barbas, the Daedric wolfhound snoring softly as he slept.

...

The area surrounding Rorikstead was quite barren and Anise found, to her dismay, that collecting ingredients here was more of a waste of time than anything else.

"I told you." Barbas chided "We should just keeping moving in a forward direction, and save all this collecting for a later date. Perhaps when I am not around."

Anise rolled her eyes, "You're the one that asked _me_ for help. You can't complain just because-"

"Wait a moment," Barbas interrupted. "Do you smell that?"

Before Anise could ask what it was he was smelling, she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. There, by the bank of the shallow river they were following, was a Sabre Cat, crouching low and waiting to pounce. The moment Anise saw it was the same moment that Barbas sprang forward, barking angrily; the Sabre rose to it's full height and stretched out a paw, batting at Barbas with it's wicked looking claws. Anise knew without a doubt that she had no hope against a Sabre. She summond a flame atronach to distract the large cat and then ran into the shallow river. Sabre cats were known to dislike deep water, so all Anise needed was to continue to run through the water until it deepened. Then she could swim on down the river until the cat gave up.

"Barbas!" She called back as she splashed through the shallow waters. "Leave it and let's go! We can lose it when the water deepens!"

But Barbas either didn't hear her or didn't want to leave the battle. Though Anise felt it was likely the latter, she felt guilty as she left him behind, looking over her shoulder at the violent scene. Barbas lunged again at the Sabre cats throat, getting a firm grip on the skin there, but taking more hits from the sharp claws. Anise's flame atronach danced and twirled in the air, throwing balls of flame at the Sabre in between twirls. Just as Anise decided that she had to at least stop running so as not to leave Barbas behind, she felt her foot slip on a wet rock beneath her, and instead of landing on more stone, Anise fell into a sudden drop off. The river had found its depth, and Anise plunged beneath it's waters.

"Barbas!" She yelled as she found the surface again. The current was suddenly strong here, and she was being pulled away quickly as Barbas continued to take hits from the giant cat, his angry snarling able to be heard even over the rushing waters.

"Barbas leave it!" She called again, but was again ignored and soon became preoccupied with keeping her head above water as the current grew stronger.

Anise turned to look behind her and felt her stomach drop. The current, now too strong to fight against, was pulling her towards a water fall. As the edge came near Anise grabbed frantically at some of the larger boulders on the side of the riverbed, breaking her nails against the rock as she gripped for dear life. The rocks were slick with water though, and worn smooth by the river's flow. Anise lost her grip, and suddenly there was nothing more to grab. Time slowed for a brief moment as she fell backward, carried by the river over the edge. As gravity took her, time sped up again, and just before the waterfall engulfed her she saw Barbas's bloodied face look over the edge. Then suddenly the water was pulling her down again and she couldn't breath, free falling into the depths below.

...

There was a moment of blackness, or perhaps a lifetime of it, and then suddenly Anise's lungs were burning for air. Her eyes opened beneath the water, and for a terrifying moment darkness was all she could see above her. Then she looked below her and saw light shining through the surface, and she realized suddenly that she was upside down in the water. She broke the surface quickly, taking a deep breath and swallowing equal amounts of air and water in the attempt. As she crawled weakly into shallow water, a pair of feet came running into view.

"By the gods, are you alright?" A strong but feminine voice asked. Anise didn't have the energy to answer, or even look up, so she simply coughed up more water onto the shore. A pair of hands found her shoulders, and then she was being hoisted awkwardly into a woman's arms.

...

When her eyes opened again, Anise was looking at the roof of what was likely a simple wooden shack. Sunlight fell onto where she lay through cracks in the wood, and she could hear the quiet rushing of the river nearby. Her clothes had been removed, and she was warm and dry beneath the furs that had been lain over her.

"You're up."

Anise was startled to find that an older Redguard woman had been seated on a chair beside the bed the entire time. The woman had been so quiet and still that Anise hadn't even noticed her.

"Before you start to worry, you're perfectly fine. A few cuts and scrapes, but nothing broken. Other than the bread, everything in your pack survived the fall and the water, and I took the liberty of giving you one of your healing potions, just in case. Your clothes, map and satchel are all drying outside."

Anise's brain was still catching up, and she could only nod as the Redguard woman stood and stretched.

"There's crab stew to eat, once you're ready. Just let me know."

With that she headed to the front of the cabin, which had a large open doorway that led out onto a porch that stretched over the water. Anise found that she wasn't as sore as she had thought she'd be, likely due to the healing potion, and she managed to stand and wrap the large fur blanket around her shoulders with minimal difficulty. As she stepped onto the open deck she noted that the sun was still high in the sky, so she hadn't slept much longer than a couple of hours. Her clothes and satchel were hanging on a line in the sun, as was her map. The Redguard woman was sitting on the deck, her feet hanging over the side as she untangled some netting.

Anise sat down beside her, careful to keep the edges of the blanket out of the water, and the Redguard woman set aside the netting and grabbed two bowls of stew that had been sitting at her side. She handed one to Anise and started in on the other, slurping it quietly as they both stared at the river in front of them. When the two women were halfway through with their bowls they began to introduce themselves, the Redguard woman explaining that the shack was hers, and that Ajar could simply call her Crabber, as that's what she did for a living. She'd seen Anise fall over the edge of the waterfall and into the river below, and had carried Anise into bed and stripped her of her clothes and belongings, given her a health potion and let sleep. Anise explained that was traveling to Solitude, and that she'd been running from a Sabre cat when she got caught up in the current. She left out the part about being on a quest for a Daedric Prince.

"You haven't seen a dog by any chance, have you?" Anise asked.

Crabber shook her head, and though she didn't say anything Anise could tell by the look on her face that she thought Anise's hound had become Sabre dinner. Anise couldn't help but worry about Barbas, though she doubted he could succumb to any kind of fatality.

 _Should I wait here for him to find me? Or should I follow the path back to Rorikstead and see if_ I _find_ him _?_

Anise pondered what to do next in silence, finishing off the last of her stew, while Crabber stood and did things about the shack. Another hour passed, and Anise's clothes, though still damp, had dried enough in the high sun to be put back on without causing too much chill. Anise used a flame spell Farengar had taught her to quicken the process a bit and warm the robes before she put them on, then dressed and sorted through her satchel. Crabber hadn't been mistaken when she'd said nothing was damaged, and Anise was grateful for that at least as she put it back on. Then she spread her dried map out on the porch and looked it over. While not exactly ideal, her trip down the falls seemed to have been a shortcut. She was only a few hours from Solitude, where she would stop for the night. Then tomorrow morning she'd head out, grab that axe and start back towards Falkreath.

"Woof."

Startled, Anise jumped, spinning around. Sitting beside her on the porch, casual as can be, was Barbas.

Even Crabber was surprised, and she didn't seem like the sort of person you could easily sneak up on.

"Did that dog just _say_ woof?" Crabber asked, sounding just a bit suspicious.

"Ah, no, he just...barks funny." Anise replied.

There was an always moment of pause before Anise remembered that a normal dog wouldn't have survived a Sabre on it's own, let alone be able to find her so quickly when her scent would have been lost in the river.

"Oh Scruff!" Anise exclaimed, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around Barbas's damp body. "I was so worried about you! I can't believe you found me!"

Barbas barked properly as Anise stood again. She gave Barbas a few more concerned scratches behind his ears, packed up her map and expressed how grateful she was to Crabber for her aid. Then she fled, hoping to remove Barbas from the scene before he gave them away. Crabber didn't seem like someone who would care much either way, but the Daedric Princes were widely regarded as evil, and there were plenty of people who would murder those that served them. Whether the person was serving them willingly or not.

As they distanced themselves from Crabber's shanty and headed towards Solitude, Anise shook her head and smiled down at Barbas.

"I really am glad you're okay, I figured you would be, but did you have to sneak up on me like that?"

"Did _you_ have to go careening down a waterfall in the middle of a battle with a Sabre cat? I mean really. _You_ are supposed to be helping _me,_ remember?"

"Well did _you_ have to say 'woof'? You could have just barked like a normal dog."

"What's she gonna do, kill me?" Barbas barked, running ahead a bit to half-heartedly chase a fleeing rabbit.

"No but she could kill _me_!" Anise yelled as Barbas drew further ahead.

Anise ran forward to catch up with him, and the two made their way to Solitude together.


End file.
